The present invention relates generally to a guard assembly and more particularly to a guard assembly for use on a sectional garage door to prevent damage to improperly parked vehicles within the garage.
Modern automotive vehicles represent a considerable investment for the average consumer. Vehicles can represent a combination of utility and luxury. It is this combination of investment and utility that instills a sense of pride in vehicle ownership. Owners, therefore, support a plurality of industries designed to maintain and restore vehicle appearance. Between car washes, detailing, and after-market products, vehicle owners invest considerable time and money into maintaining a vehicle's original luster.
A vehicle's appearance faces a variety of hazards in every day usage. Although such hazards are commonly associated with accidents or environmental damage, a lesser known source of hazard exists within the very garage associated with protecting the vehicle. This source of hazard is the garage door generally and more specifically the garage door hinges connecting individual sections of a sectional garage door. As vehicle size has increased and garage storage usage has increased, the available space within the garage dedicated to positioning the vehicle has decreased. This places an often unreasonable burden on drivers to successfully position the vehicle within the garage such that the rear of the vehicle is clear of the lowering garage door components.
Failure to properly position the vehicle in the garage can result in contact between the garage door hinges and the vehicle rear or front bumper. The sharp edges of the metal hinges can impart visible scarring onto the vehicle bumper. Modern painted and molded bumpers can further exacerbate this problem by being highly susceptible to visible scratches. Even traditional steel bumpers may be visibly marred through contact with the garage door hinge. Damage to the bumpers can not only diminish the vehicle's appearance but can represent costly lease return charges. High tech sensor used in combination with automated garage doors are commonly positioned in locations to detect small children or animals and are often not in a position to detect the vehicle bumper. In addition, high tech sensors generate installation costs and reliability issues.
Therefore, an inexpensive and low-tech methodology for protecting a vehicle's bumper from the garage door hinges would provide a considerable benefit to consumers.